Art Encounter Community Outreach
Community Outreach is at the heart of Art Encounter’s mission, helping us make art experiences accessible for individuals of all ages and backgrounds throughout the greater Chicago area. Our youth programs bring in-school and after-school classes and cultural field trips to 1500 students annually through partnerships with public schools and youth service agencies. Our adult programs for underserved communities, including individuals with disabilities, provide new avenues for self-expression and social confidence. And our senior programs for residents of assisted living facilities use art discussions and hands-on creative projects to encourage social connection and cognitive stimulation. Community outreach programs are provided at little or no cost to participants, and are funded by grants and individual donations.
We are grateful to Blick Art Materials for their support of Art Encounter Community Outreach programs.
FOR YOUTH
Our programs for youth empower public school students from a broad range of backgrounds through engaging explorations of art that promote critical thinking, creativity, and self-discovery. Each of our in-school and after-school programs begins with interactive discussions analyzing original pieces from our traveling art collection. Discussions are followed by related hands-on creative projects and other activities related to school curriculum, from journaling to group sharing exercises. Our multi-week in-school residencies also include Q&A sessions with local visiting artists, field trips to Chicago museums, and more.
FOR ADULTS
In addition to serving youth and seniors, we also offer a variety of programming for adults, including individuals with disabilities.
FOR SENIORS
Our programs in assisted living facilities, memory care facilities, and senior living centers bring creativity and connection to older adults through hands-on and discussion-based programs of artworks from our professional collection. Our hands-on workshops provide cognitive stimulation, motor coordination, and joy to seniors in the Chicago area with limited resources. Our programs include Making for Memory, Hats Off To Art, The Spirit of Art, and custom programs.
CUSTOM PROGRAMS
We have a history of creating custom programming for individuals of all ages. Do you have an idea for a program? Please fill out our Outreach Program Inquiry Form below. For all further questions, please contact our Community Outreach Manager Leslie Luning at leslie@artencounter.org.
“My out-of-school time youth development organization has partnered with Art Encounter consistently over the last several years to provide high quality, engaging arts enrichment opportunities to our 3rd–5th grade youth. Art Encounter teaching artists bring many years of teaching experience which adds to the quality of the classes and helps each session run smoothly. Additionally, teaching artists consistently bring original pieces of art into the classroom and discuss them at length with the youth, which allows them to develop a greater appreciation for the art and a greater understanding of how to better incorporate these techniques into their own artwork.”
-Casey Varela, (Former) Manager of Strategic Partnerships at Y.O.U., Evanston